Tom Bloxham


Thomas Paul Richard "Tom" Bloxham MBE is a British property developer, founder of urban renewal property development company Urban Splash and member of the judging panel for RIBA's Stirling Prize in 2007. Bloxham has appeared on Britain's rich list and has a property portfolio worth over £200m.

Background

Bloxham was born in Hampshire and went to Tiffin School leaving in 1983 to go to Manchester to study Politics & Modern History at the Victoria University of Manchester. During his time at university he opened a music and poster shop in Afflecks Palace and sold fire extinguishers door-to-door; he tried to increase sales by demonstrating them by setting his briefcase on fire then extinguishing it.

Urban Splash

Bloxham began subletting portions of his unit at Afflecks Palace and this began his career in property. Bloxham co-founded Urban Splash with architect Jonathan Falkingham and initially converted redundant properties, mainly formerly industrial buildings, in north west England into city centre residential loft apartments. They have won in excess of 370 awards for design, architecture and urban renewal.
He is an Honorary Fellow of the Royal Institute of British Architects and in 1999, he was given an MBE.
In September 2012 the company reported pre-tax losses of £9.3 million and debts of £234.4 million for the previous year.
In the aftermath of the 2017 Grenfell Tower fire a number of Urban Splash developments were found to have been constructed using flammable cladding and to not comply with the required Building regulations in the United Kingdom.

Chancellor of The University of Manchester

Bloxham was elected Chancellor of The University of Manchester in June 2008 to take office from 1 August 2008 for a period of seven years. Bloxham was installed as Chancellor at a ceremony at the University's Whitworth Hall on 3 December 2008. At the same ceremony Sir Bernard Lovell, Sir Tim Berners-Lee, Edward Gregson and Eddie Davies received honorary degrees.
He completed his term of office on 1 August 2015 and was succeeded by the poet and broadcaster Lemn Sissay.